Health-care reform is about ‘we,’ not ‘me’

I don’t need health-care reform right now. I’m a student and still covered by my father’s insurance. But a recent health scare revealed the problem with our health care system.

I felt a small lump on my right testicle. Within a week I was examined by two urologists. Then next week, I was able to have a sonogram performed, even though the urologists were certain nothing was wrong. Shortly after, I went in for a follow up and it was confirmed that there was no reason for concern.

Sounds great, right?

What if my father had lost his job during the recession? What if my family wasn’t so lucky to have two well employed parents? Imagine someone in my position that didn’t have access to high priced health insurance:

“Man, this isn’t going away. I guess I’ll go wait in the emergency room and just get it checked.”

“What? Cancer? It may have spread.”

What may have been a treatable and manageable condition may have just become an expensive ordeal that will cost every taxpayer by employing our current health-care system, the emergency room. I shouldn’t have been able to avoid this situation, weeks of worry and the possibility of a condition worsening, because my family has money.

Health and peace of mind is not a commodity to be bought and sold.

I don’t need reform. I’ll be fine. But reform isn’t about “me.” It’s about “we.”